How their hearts behave
by latelykatie
Summary: Tamaki's grin faltered as he considered this. Or rather, Haruhi knew him well enough to know his grin faltered. Haruhi/Tamaki oneshot, shamelessy fluffly.


AN: Written in an attempt to cheer myself up after hearing the (heinous) dub preview.

Apologies in advance for the unimaginative Japanese names for Haruhi's-Ex-Classmate 1 and 2.

And thanks for reading. (:

* * *

"But what would I _do _with that?"

Tamaki's grin faltered as he considered this. Or rather, Haruhi knew him well enough to know his grin faltered – Haruhi couldn't actually see his expression behind the head of the lurid stuffed octopus he was holding.

"Is it not commoner tradition? Like knights of old, jousting for a lady's love, a man proves his worth to his lover by exhibiting his coordination and winning over-large plush - "

"Oh, fine. Thank you." Maybe her five-year-old neighbor would want it. Haruhi brushed the dirt off one of its purple legs. Tamaki had dropped it during his speech.

Tamaki's smile was back in full force. He clasped his hands under his chin. "You like it then? Truly, Haruhi?"

She sighed. "Yes. But it's going to be rather hard to carry it around like this." She tried to shift it into an easier position, but there didn't seem to be one – it was almost as large as she was.

He took it back from her and somehow managed to tuck it under his arm. It took an impractical person to handle such an impractical. Haruhi brushed her bangs out of her eyes. She was starting to get hungry.

"Why don't we - "

"Oh! Haruhi, look! Goldfish scooping!" Tamaki was already halfway to the tiny booth. She sighed in resignation and followed after him.

• • •

He'd already ripped his first paddle by the time she caught up to him, and he'd soon be on his third, judging by the way he was whisking the it through the water.

Haruhi knelt. Her hair brushed his cheek. "No, no. You're scaring the fish. Here," she cupped her hands around his. "_Slowly_." And she helped him scoop a speckled goldfish into the tiny bowl.

"Ah..." Tamaki's eyes were sparkling. "A game that amuses _and _teaches valuable work ethic! Commoner wisd-"

"Yes, isn't it?" Haruhi doubted the man operating the booth would enjoy hearing the glories of "commoner wisdom."

She grabbed his hand. "Let's move on, okay?"

• • •

Somewhere, in the five minutes since they'd left the fish scooping booth, Haruhi had lost him. She surveyed the crowd of people and booths, wondering where Tamaki had gone. Knowing him (and his attention span), it could be anywhere. Well. It wasn't a particularly _large _festival; they were bound to run into each other again. It would be a waste of time to bother trying to find him. Anyway, she was _hungry._

"Haruhi-kun?"

Haruhi turned. It took her a second to recognize one of her former classmates. "Akiko-san?"

"Haruhi! I _thought _it was you, but Michiko-chan wasn't sure."

"You cut off all your hair," said the girl Haruhi assumed was Michiko (she didn't know if she should remember Michiko or not). "Why?"

"It looks so cute on you!" squealed Akiko. "You look like a model!"

"Thank you," Haruhi said. "I - "

"Ooooh! I forgot to ask how things are going for you at school! You got into Ouran, right?"

"Ye - "

Michiko leaned in eagerly. "_Wow_. You're so brave! Going to a school with all those rich people. Do you fit in _at all_?"

"I - "

"Oooh, Haruhi!" Akiko giggled. "What about the _boys_?"

"Oh, _yes_," cooed Akiko. "Tell us."

"I - "

"_HARUHI!" _

Before she knew it, Tamaki had half tackled her, and was holding her close in an iron grip. "Oh, _Haruhi_. You were lost! I was so worried! Haruhi!"

"I can't breathe." she mumbled, slightly embarrassed. Michiko and Akiko were staring.  
Tamaki (finally) let go. He placed one hand on each of her shoulders. "Haruhi, if you wanted to see something, you should have told me! Then I would've known you weren't getting kidnapped and sold into the circus, or - "

"What are you talking about? There isn't even a circus here. And _you're _the one who wandered-"

"Are you Haruhi's _boyfriend_?"

Tamaki blinked at Machiko, confused. Then a dreamy smile spread across his face. "You were telling your friends about me, Haruhi?" His eyes sparkled again. (Akiko and Michiko practically swooned.) Haruhi's semi-annoyed mood deepened into full on annoyance.

"Kind of," she said. "In any case, I'm ready to move on now."

• • •

"What happened to the octopus?"

Tamaki's smile drained. "Oh. I must have left it."

Haruhi grinned up at him. "It doesn't really matter."

"Right."

• • •

Somehow, with her even noticing, she had slipped her fingers through his while they were walking.

Or maybe he had.

_(She decided it didn't really matter.)_


End file.
